We are receiving lots of fur donations for our Cuddle Coats program and want to ship them to our wildlife rehab partners as soon as possible. Meet at the ARC office (co-located with Ethique Nouveau) at 317 W 48th St. in Minneapolis at 6:00 pm to help prep fur coats and accessories for shipment. Wear clothes that can get a little fuzzy. This is a great, low key way to volunteer and meet some of the other people in the group while helping to save animal lives.

We are receiving lots of fur donations for our Cuddle Coats program and want to ship them to our wildlife rehab partners as soon as possible. Meet at the ARC office (co-located with Ethique Nouveau) at 317 W 48th St. in Minneapolis at 6:00 pm to help prep fur coats and accessories for shipment. Wear clothes that can get a little fuzzy. This is a great, low key way to volunteer and meet some of the other people in the group while helping to save animal lives.

ARC In Action meetings are held every first and third Wednesday of the month from 7-8pm at our vegan store and ARC office, Ethique Nouveau, located at 317 W. 48th St. in South Minneapolis (on 48th St. between Lyndale and Nicollet). Everyone is welcome - you do not have to be an ARC member or vegan or vegetarian to attend. Come out, meet other people who care about animals as much as you do, and see how you can get involved. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail Chelsea at chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com.

ARC In Action meetings are held every first and third Wednesday of the month from 7-8pm at our vegan store and ARC office, Ethique Nouveau, located at 317 W. 48th St. in South Minneapolis (on 48th St. between Lyndale and Nicollet). Everyone is welcome - you do not have to be an ARC member or vegan or vegetarian to attend. Come out, meet other people who care about animals as much as you do, and see how you can get involved. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail Chelsea at chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com.

Stop by the ARC booth at the Midtown Farmers Market from 8:00 AM-1:00 PM on Saturday 8/8. The market is at Lake St. E and 22nd Ave. S. We\'ll be giving out info about how to go vegan and recipes for using all the veggies people get at the market, and talking to people about famed animal issues. Visit http://www.midtownfarmersmarket.org/ for more info.

Stop by the ARC booth at the Midtown Farmers Market from 8:00 AM-1:00 PM on Saturday 8/8. The market is at Lake St. E and 22nd Ave. S. We'll be giving out info about how to go vegan and recipes for using all the veggies people get at the market, and talking to people about famed animal issues. Visit http://www.midtownfarmersmarket.org/ for more info.

If you have to be picky about which protests you attend, pick this one from 1:00-3:00 pm at the Petland store at 2123 Old Hudson Road in St. Paul. Help send a message loud and clear that we are not going away until Petland stops selling animals from commercial breeders. Even if you can only come for part of the protest, please try to make it. The animals need you to help educate the public on their behalf. Invite your friends. Help us spread the word. Remember that we do not park or trespass in the Petland parking lot. Parking is available in the St. Paul Youth Services lot to the north of the strip mall. More info and RSVP at Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Minnesota-Animal-Rights-Meetup/

If you have to be picky about which protests you attend, pick this one from 1:00-3:00 pm at the Petland store at 2123 Old Hudson Road in St. Paul. Help send a message loud and clear that we are not going away until Petland stops selling animals from commercial breeders. Even if you can only come for part of the protest, please try to make it. The animals need you to help educate the public on their behalf. Invite your friends. Help us spread the word. Remember that we do not park or trespass in the Petland parking lot. Parking is available in the St. Paul Youth Services lot to the north of the strip mall. More info and RSVP at Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Minnesota-Animal-Rights-Meetup/

North Vegans will be hosting a Soul Food & Southern Cooking: Vegan Style cooking class on Saturday, August 8 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Parkway United Church of Christ, 3120 Washburn Ave. N in Minneapolis. This free cooking class is limited to the first 15 participants, and preference will be given to North Minneapolis residents. RSVP by emailing chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com

North Vegans will be hosting a Soul Food & Southern Cooking: Vegan Style cooking class on Saturday, August 8 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. at Parkway United Church of Christ, 3120 Washburn Ave. N in Minneapolis. This free cooking class is limited to the first 15 participants, and preference will be given to North Minneapolis residents. RSVP by emailing chelsea@animalrightscoalition.com

You\'ve heard about circus protests and the criticisms circuses receive for having wild animals in their shows. But what about the domestic animals? What about the announcement Ringling made about \"retiring\" their elephants in three years? If things are that bad, why isn\'t there a law against it? We\'ll go over some of the most commonly cited arguments so you\'ll be prepared to speak to folks who don\'t yet have all the facts. We\'ll go over the current state of animal circuses in the United States and around the globe, and we\'ll talk about local efforts here to raise awareness around both circuses and the exotic animal rides at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Event is at Augsburg Park Library meeting room, 7100 Nicollet Ave. in Minneapolis from noon to 2:00pm. RSVP at Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Minnesota-Animal-Rights-Meetup/events/223791631/

You've heard about circus protests and the criticisms circuses receive for having wild animals in their shows. But what about the domestic animals? What about the announcement Ringling made about "retiring" their elephants in three years? If things are that bad, why isn't there a law against it? We'll go over some of the most commonly cited arguments so you'll be prepared to speak to folks who don't yet have all the facts. We'll go over the current state of animal circuses in the United States and around the globe, and we'll talk about local efforts here to raise awareness around both circuses and the exotic animal rides at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. Event is at Augsburg Park Library meeting room, 7100 Nicollet Ave. in Minneapolis from noon to 2:00pm. RSVP at Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/Minnesota-Animal-Rights-Meetup/events/223791631/

The Animal Rights Coalition operates Ethique Nouveau; a vegan boutique, where all purchases help fund our animal advocacy programs, at 317 W. 48th St. in Minneapolis. The ARC office is located at the same address.

We won this one in Minnesota when pound seizure was banned in April of 2012!

We will continue to work to help other states end the practice of pound seizure, whereby animals in shelters can be claimed by licensed institutions for experimentation purposes.

Announcing Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup

March 4th, 2014

If you’re looking for a place to connect with other people who care about making the world better for all animals and you’re ready to start taking action to realize that vision, Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup is the group for you. We’re experienced, active, effective,and busy!

There are lots of opportunities like leafleting, vegan food sampling, tabling, teaching workshops, reaching out to companies to work with them on changing policies, letter writing, sending furs to wildlife rehabs to help orphaned and injured wildlife—we do it all! Join Minnesota Animal Rights Meetup (MARC). You don’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to join; we welcome everyone on their journey towards living a more compassionate life. We’ll help you find your niche and get involved in a way that works for you.

Bake for Their Sake Vegan Bake Sale Fundraiser

January 28th, 2014

Thanks to everyone who organized, volunteered, baked, and purchased goodies at the Bake for Their Sake bake sale to benefit our Cuddle Coats program. The sale was a huge success and the volunteers raised over $500 for the program!

This Valentine’s Day, ARC is sharing the love by hosting Bake for Their Sake, a vegan bake sale fundraiser for the Cuddle Coats program. Mark your calendars and join us Saturday, February 8th from 1-4 p.m. to get cruelty-free versions of all of your favorite baked goodies, and maybe even find some new favorites! Bake for Their Sake will be held at Ethique Nouveau (ARC’s headquarters and vegan boutique) at 317 W 48th Street in Minneapolis. If you’d like to donate baked goods for the sale, drop off your items the hour before or at the beginning of the bake sale and please bring along the recipes to give out.

Funds are being raised to help support the Cuddle Coats program, which accepts donated furs and accessories and ships them to wildlife rehabilitation centers where they are used in the rehabilitation process of injured and orphaned animals such as raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks. The fur is especially helpful when contact with humans must be kept to a minimum, by helping to establish a nurturing and soothing environment and providing comfort and warmth for these animals when one-on-one contact is not advisable. Proceeds from the bake sale will help with the shipping of furs to wildlife rehabilitation centers and will also provide funds for new anti-fur posters.

Cuddle Coats: Helping Wild Animals Go Home

December 25th, 2013

Every year millions of animals are killed for their furs. For those who have decided they no longer want to walk around sporting dead animal skins, ARC’s Cuddle Coats program will take in those furs and give them back to those who really need them: orphaned and injured wild animals. Check out the adorable recipient of a Cuddle Coat, a baby possum growing up strong and secure at Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center.

During the rehabilitation process, contact with humans must be kept to a minimum. Fur helps establish a nurturing and soothing environment for these animals. Think of the fur as a surrogate parent. The donated furs offer comfort, warmth, and rehabilitation to these ophaned and injured animals before their release into the wild.

Animal Ark Thrift Store is one of the local businesses that have taken a pledge not to sell furs in their stores. Instead, all furs Animal Ark receives are donated to the Cuddle Coats program. These furs are not sold for profit, but instead are sent to our 22 wildlife rehabilitation partners across the country to be put to use helping wild animals in need. Furs can also be donated at Ethique Nouveau, Everyday People Clothing Exchange, and Earth Exchange.

From the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic, Inc. in Missouri “Thank you so much for sending us some Cuddle Coats! Our first animals to try them out were a litter of baby mice – and they loved them! Keep up the good work! And thanks again!”

An Oldie But Goodie

December 13th, 2013

Cookies were flying at the annual Vegan Holiday Cookie Exchange on Saturday, December 14 at Ethique Nouveau. Each person brought 4 dozen vegan cookies and then shared and swapped with others who had done the same. Check out recipes from last year’s cookie exchange and links to recipes from this year’s exchange.

It was great seeing so many members and friends at ARC’s Holiday Open House on Sunday, December 8. We enjoyed chatting with all of you about everything ARC has accomplished for animals this year and our plans for an even bigger and better 2014. Helping animals is hard work, but we have serious fun too – so enjoy this oldie but goodie “Animal Rights Coalition Rap” dreamed up by ARC volunteers and performed by Dallas, Ryan, and Aaron.

New Shakopee Pet Store Ordinance: Victory or Loss for Animals?

November 3rd, 2013

Minnesotans may remember the attention given to Shakopee’s Eagle Pet Center pet store when they were featured on the news because their animals were living in deplorable, yet supposedly legal conditions. The media attention sparked an outcry from the community and many local animal advocates who urged the Shakopee City council to adopt a new law that would prevent such rampant animal abuse by pet stores that sell live animals.

Fall + Football + Food at Gopher Tailgating

October 21st, 2013

ARC volunteers gave away over 500 samples of vegan burgers, everyone’s game-favorite fare, at two University of Minnesota Gopher football home games in September . For the third year running, Gardein burgers with all the fixin’s flew off the trays as fast as we could grill them.

Between the two events, 19 ARC volunteers gave away hundreds of samples plus literature about veganism. The best part is that the game-goers we reached were not likely to have tried vegan food without the encouragement we provided; and they weren’t sorry–we heard many comments about how yummy the burgers tasted. Thanks to all the volunteers who helped with grilling, passing out samples, and answering questions about a plant-based diet.

Help,I’m Going Vegan! at Southwest Community Education

September 18th, 2013

We’re excited to announce another new avenue for our expanding outreach programs – Minneapolis Community Education has accepted ARC’s Help, I’m Going Vegan! workshop into its community education catalog. The workshop will be held in four sessions starting Monday, October 7 through Monday October 28 from 6:30-8:00pm at Southwest High School in Minneapolis. Many thanks to ARC volunteer Melissa Maaske for persevering through the application and interview process to get the workshop approved.

Workshop description: “You know you want to go vegan, but you have all these questions. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could have a knowledgeable and caring vegan give straight-forward answers? Join Melissa Maaske, mentor through Vegan University, for an in-depth veganism workshop. We will discuss the health, environmental, and ethical reasons to choose veganism. You will learn tips on grocery shopping, eating out, and how to talk to others about your choices. After this class, you can make empowered choices about what you eat!”

Rock for Animal Rights!

August 29th, 2013

Come to a fun, family-friendly show featuring live music, vegan food, outdoor activities, and more at the Wood Lake Nature Center Amphitheater at 6710 Lake Shore Drive in Richfield from 5-8pm on Saturday, August 31. Music starts at 6. This is a fundraiser to help animals by supporting the life-saving campaigns of the Animal Rights Coalition. Donations will be accepted at entry.